Dean Smith - Confirmed

[sickbeggar]

Still can't see a new guy waving his wand over that midfield and magically transforming it into anything, so lets hope if they decide to sack him they employ someone with some clout who can get some money out of them in January. A side not struck down with injuries every other week would help too.

[chrisw1]

We've been on a poor run for 36 games. What changes if we win a couple now? Surely the limitations have been bared for all to see. Again, we fiddle around when it comes to managers.

Agreed.

Also agreed, sadly.  Wish he'd had a bit more luck this season and had been able to play his best team, but it now feels we're beyond the point of no return.

[TonyD]

Who ever is in charge in January needs to buy 2 more midfielders maybe 3 with our injuries. 

[curiousorange]

Regrettably, we're shopping in different stores now, but you've got to applaud Spuds binning Nuno and bringing in Conte, without even having to be linked to Gerrard, Lampard and Howe first.

[Beard82]

Granted we don’t know what’s happening in the board room, but with a few historical exceptions I think once you’re down to “he’s got a couple of games to save his job” then you should pull the trigger. At the point surely you’re dissatisfied with the direction of travel - what’s a couple of games going to tell you? Not a whole lot. This calendar year we’ve been really poor and there’s been more than enough time to correct it.

I know what you're saying - but I guess, and in this case in particular, he has some really good attributes - and maybe they want to give him a last chance to turn it round, as he has done it on at least 2 occasions before.

IMO, I think he's gone - as I have said before, something just isn't right and hasn't been since Joe left.

I know its very Villa to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory, but the way the wheels have fallen of since the end of the super is impressive

[Rico]

It feels to me that something behind the scenes has gone badly wrong. I mean benching the club captain would have seemed unthinkable a few games ago, and Sansom's water bottle incident has stoked the fires of unrest. Pre-season was such a mess, and trusted coaches departing in quick succession hasn't helped matters. It's going to be tough for Dean to turn this around. Personally I don't think he will.(I hope that he does).Results without Grealish suggest that can't win enough games.

[TelfordVilla]

It feels to me that something behind the scenes has gone badly wrong. I mean benching the club captain would have seemed unthinkable a few games ago, and Sansom's water bottle incident has stoked the fires of unrest. Pre-season was such a mess, and trusted coaches departing in quick succession hasn't helped matters. It's going to be tough for Dean to turn this around. Personally I don't think he will.(I hope that he does).Results without Grealish suggest that can't win enough games.

So how does sacking the manager help? does that bring greasey joe back ? It wont reverse the pre season cock up or the turn over of back room staff. It will just bring more uncertainty.

[LukeJames]

If we are looking at getting rid, it would be madness to wait until the easier games are out of the way and give the new incumbent Man City, Leicester and Liverpool as his opening matches.

Ive got nothing to back this up but it seems like this happens quite regularly with sacked managers.

[Three Spires Villa]

It feels to me that something behind the scenes has gone badly wrong. I mean benching the club captain would have seemed unthinkable a few games ago, and Sansom's water bottle incident has stoked the fires of unrest. Pre-season was such a mess, and trusted coaches departing in quick succession hasn't helped matters. It's going to be tough for Dean to turn this around. Personally I don't think he will.(I hope that he does).Results without Grealish suggest that can't win enough games.

So how does sacking the manager help? does that bring greasey joe back ? It wont reverse the pre season cock up or the turn over of back room staff. It will just bring more uncertainty.

Maybe a better manager?

[curiousorange]

It feels to me that something behind the scenes has gone badly wrong. I mean benching the club captain would have seemed unthinkable a few games ago, and Sansom's water bottle incident has stoked the fires of unrest. Pre-season was such a mess, and trusted coaches departing in quick succession hasn't helped matters. It's going to be tough for Dean to turn this around. Personally I don't think he will.(I hope that he does).Results without Grealish suggest that can't win enough games.

So how does sacking the manager help? does that bring greasey joe back ? It wont reverse the pre season cock up or the turn over of back room staff. It will just bring more uncertainty.

It does bring uncertainty, but managers usually come with a backroom staff, which helps continuity somewhat. Grealish isn't coming back, no, but a new start draws a line under the flux of a failing managership. Most players, I'd imagine, want fairly simple structure to their career: manager who knows what they want, offer them a defined role and a way to maximise their potential. No sleight on Smith, he's just got a squad that isn't what he wanted it to be, and he's the most expendable asset.

[TelfordVilla]

It feels to me that something behind the scenes has gone badly wrong. I mean benching the club captain would have seemed unthinkable a few games ago, and Sansom's water bottle incident has stoked the fires of unrest. Pre-season was such a mess, and trusted coaches departing in quick succession hasn't helped matters. It's going to be tough for Dean to turn this around. Personally I don't think he will.(I hope that he does).Results without Grealish suggest that can't win enough games.

So how does sacking the manager help? does that bring greasey joe back ? It wont reverse the pre season cock up or the turn over of back room staff. It will just bring more uncertainty.

It does bring uncertainty, but managers usually come with a backroom staff, which helps continuity somewhat. Grealish isn't coming back, no, but a new start draws a line under the flux of a failing managership. Most players, I'd imagine, want fairly simple structure to their career: manager who knows what they want, offer them a defined role and a way to maximise their potential. No sleight on Smith, he's just got a squad that isn't what he wanted it to be, and he's the most expendable asset.

Having spent months praising the improvement in Konsa and Watkins etc due to their work with the current coaching staff, we now decide, after 4 (unfortunate) losses, that the players prefer simple instructions and guidance rather than developing and improving. Not the coaches fault then.

[curiousorange]

It feels to me that something behind the scenes has gone badly wrong. I mean benching the club captain would have seemed unthinkable a few games ago, and Sansom's water bottle incident has stoked the fires of unrest. Pre-season was such a mess, and trusted coaches departing in quick succession hasn't helped matters. It's going to be tough for Dean to turn this around. Personally I don't think he will.(I hope that he does).Results without Grealish suggest that can't win enough games.

So how does sacking the manager help? does that bring greasey joe back ? It wont reverse the pre season cock up or the turn over of back room staff. It will just bring more uncertainty.

It does bring uncertainty, but managers usually come with a backroom staff, which helps continuity somewhat. Grealish isn't coming back, no, but a new start draws a line under the flux of a failing managership. Most players, I'd imagine, want fairly simple structure to their career: manager who knows what they want, offer them a defined role and a way to maximise their potential. No sleight on Smith, he's just got a squad that isn't what he wanted it to be, and he's the most expendable asset.

Having spent months praising the improvement in Konsa and Watkins etc due to their work with the current coaching staff, we now decide, after 4 (unfortunate) losses, that the players prefer simple instructions and guidance rather than developing and improving. Not the coaches fault then.

I don't think anybody's 'decided' that. I was suggesting that the changes to the squad (and coaching team) have resulted in an impasse, where previously content players don't understand what they're meant to be aiming for now, and new additions haven't slotted in as hoped. It's on the coaches as much as the players.

[Three Spires Villa]

It’s not just 4 games though. The numbers are available, the poor form has been for a colander year and I think it’s 7 wins in 30. If I’m wrong please let me know and 19 goals against already this season. That’s as bad as the season we can up. The defence was strong last season, but Dean messed about to shoe horn Watkins and Ings! As pointed out earlier if it was just 4 games this debate wouldn’t be happening.

Maybe people think that 15th and 3 points off relegation with this squad (every team has injuries and good and bad luck) is good, I’m not so sure it is.

[Beard82]

It feels to me that something behind the scenes has gone badly wrong. I mean benching the club captain would have seemed unthinkable a few games ago, and Sansom's water bottle incident has stoked the fires of unrest. Pre-season was such a mess, and trusted coaches departing in quick succession hasn't helped matters. It's going to be tough for Dean to turn this around. Personally I don't think he will.(I hope that he does).Results without Grealish suggest that can't win enough games.

So how does sacking the manager help? does that bring greasey joe back ? It wont reverse the pre season cock up or the turn over of back room staff. It will just bring more uncertainty.

It does bring uncertainty, but managers usually come with a backroom staff, which helps continuity somewhat. Grealish isn't coming back, no, but a new start draws a line under the flux of a failing managership. Most players, I'd imagine, want fairly simple structure to their career: manager who knows what they want, offer them a defined role and a way to maximise their potential. No sleight on Smith, he's just got a squad that isn't what he wanted it to be, and he's the most expendable asset.

Surely some of it also depend on how culpable Smith is for the summer shit storm. My view is that this summer there wasnt as much of a shared view about how to move forward.  I think the players we got weren’t necessary deans preferred targets - and I think Sanson surely isn’t.  So I guess a new manger might align stuff better

[john e]

Smith WAS the right manager choice for NSWE/CP. So they have a 1/1 apt record so maybe we should have some faith they get 2/2 spot on

I’m not convinced about that

No one can accuse me of being a Dean Smith apologist I have criticised him plenty in the past
In fact I was probably in the Vanguard as I don’t believe the last two seasons he has achieved what he set out to
The first season back when we stayed up by the skin of our teeth was a piss poor year with piss poor Football and last season I think we should have finished top half
For me the last two seasons haven’t been good enough

But I will be worried if we just sack Smith now
Especially if we have no real idea of who will take over and it’s a rush around to see who is available

I also don’t trust Purslow I see him as more like Levy he will want someone malleable
I don’t mind him as a CEO he talks well but I’m not sure about his judgement on managers
The owners won’t have an encyclopedic knowledge of Managers operating around the world and will leave it to CS

The time might well come when Dean Smith’s position is untenable but unless there is a really good fit a top manager or Highly rated up-and-coming manager I would hold off for now

I also think injuries have been horrendous
He has made mistakes some big ones in formations and stuff but so far he has had one hand tied behind his back this season
Although I agree it shouldn’t be based just on the last 10 games it should be based on the last 30 and that does not make good reading

But I would stick rather than twist right now